Miko of the Shikon Jewel
by MajesticPrincessAngel
Summary: What would happen if the souls of both Kikyo and Kagome merged and became one? What if the person carrying around such a soul changed so drastically that she couldn't be recognizeable anymore? And add in a Forbidden Child as secret ingredient.
1. Chapter 1

Two blackhaired women stared at each other, one of them letting out a silent scream as she was being pushed off the cliff they were standing on. The other woman's eyes glittered in malice as she saw her mirror-image falling down towards the streaming river meters under them. Her eyes widened however when she felt the other woman's hands on her, pulling her with her into the depths. "If I can't live, you can't either Kikyo." the younger woman said as her blue eyes met with the other woman's eyes sadly. Kikyo snarled shocked and flailed with her arms, her hand touching the famed Shikon jewel by accident. Kagome's hand went up to the jewel that was hanging around her neck protectively and as the hands from both priestesses touched on the jewel they were invelloped in a bright light. Two twin screams echoed through the night as the two figures plummeted to their deaths.

It was already the next day when a dark-haired figure stumbled out of the water cautiously. It was a woman that wore the traditional miko garb and she seemed to be disoriented as she looked around. She almost fell when she got steadied by a couple of white serpentine creatures. The woman stared at them with an almost childlike fascination. "What are you..?" she asked, her voice sounding light and clear as the creatures diligently led her onto land safely. _We are yours to command milady, we are life energies that you manipulated into form _ she heard a sudden hissing voice say in her head. She nodded, although she was confused and walked on, deeper into the forest close to the river that she had come from. She heard a soft rumbling sound and looked around perplexed. The ghostlike serpents encircled the ravenhaired beauty protectively as they seemed to sense an incoming demonic presence. "Human, give me the Shikon Jewel, and I shall not eat you!" she suddenly heared close to her. The woman whipped around curiously, was that foul looking creature talking to her? She looked at the demon silently and it began to fume. "What are you looking at, you wench? You will pay for your insolence!" the demon screamed furiously as it lunged at her angrily. The woman raised her hands as if to protect herself, and to her amazement a purple see-through barrier of sorts erected in front of her, shielding her from the demon's attack. The demon punched at the barrier, but it wouldn't budge. "How..?" the woman wondered as she looked at the barrier in front of her in awe. Serpentine hisses in her head explained how it was done and she was startled when she heard an enraged roar coming from the demon. "Don't ignore me, human. You think this puny shield can stop me?" the demon raged angrily as it finally managed to break the shielding barrier. Without knowing how she did it, the woman instinctively placed her hands with the palms towards the creature and yelled: "Begone!" A sudden flash of purple blinded the creature and before the woman's eyes he began to crumble into ash. "I did that..?" she wondered as she looked at the ash that seemed to be cleared away by the wind, leaving nothing in place of the demon that had threatened her. Soft hissing sounds were heard in her head once more as she continued on her way to an unknown location, the serpents guiding her.

"Kagome!" a small orange-haired kitsune was yelling desperately as he scurried around the forest. "Shut up, you brat." a silver-haired hanyou replied annoyed as he hit the small kid on the head. "Inuyasha! Don't hit Shippou! When Kagome gets back you can be sure you will be "sitted" a lot!" a brown-haired female with a giant boomerang said as the little kitsune rushed over to her and hid behind her. "I would listen to my dear lady Sango if I were you, Inuyasha." a young man in purple monk clothes said as he got closer to the group. "Why thank you Miroku." the woman called Sango said appreciatively before her fist connected with his jaw. "You hentai monk! Must you always ruin things?" Sango yelled outraged as Miroku smiled sheepishly as he nursed his jaw. Sango just closed her eyes at his lack of answer and thought about her best friend. "Kagome, when are you coming back...?" she whispered softly as her eyes locked onto the moon.

The woman and her serpents moved through the forest at a steady pace. She suddenly heard yelling in the distance, and she curiously made her way over to the edge of the forest. What she saw startled her into the furthest of her being. A angry mob seemed to be surrounding a young child and they seemed intent on beating him to death. She felt an unexplainable rage as her eyes locked with the child's odd crimson-colored ones. "Stop!" she said steadily as she stepped closer to the mob of people. "...A miko?" she heard voices around her whisper as she got in front of the child. "Milady, you musn't protect this child, it is a demon! It ate all our chickens, leaving us with no food." a balding man said as he turned to her, his face red of anger. Her voice got colder as she adressed the mob in front of her: "You were about to beat a child, no matter if it was a demon child or human child to death about some chickens?" Her purple colored eyes swept over the suddenly cowering mob around her. Around her the ghost-like serpents made themselves known, scaring everyone into submission. Suddenly a female shriek was heard: "A demon miko! Get her!" This shriek brought everyone out of their stupor and they turned onto her. Before they had the chance to touch her however, she coldly said: "You have chosen your path. I will not stand here and be beaten." Her serpents hissed threatheningly, baring their fangs and her hands glowed a eerie purple. This didnt deter the mob as they tried to swing at her to hit her. She narrowed her eyes as she erected a barrier once more and let the serpents loose on the people in front of her. "Don't hurt the ones that wouldn't do me or the child harm." she commanded and with that the serpents dove into the people frenziedly. The child in front of her looked at her in awe, she wasn't sure if it was because of her powers or because she saved him. She crouched down so she was to the childs level and ignored the anguished screams for help outside of the barrier she had erected around her and the boy. "Are you allright..?" she asked softly, her eyes meeting his once more. The child nodded silently, before asking: "Why did you help me? They are right, I am a demon." The woman shook her head sadly and as she reached over to pat the child on the shoulder he flinched back. "It's allright, I won't hurt you. And about your question, I couldn't leave a child, no matter demon or not like that." she whispered softly and she smiled as the child seemed to relax a bit. She reached out her hand for the child to take and said: "Come with me. I'll keep you safe."

Days later the stench of death still lingered in the air and almost covered another, faint feminine scent. The man sniffed around as he looked around the village in front of him. It seemed deserted, save for some people that were busy rebuilding the village or burying the dead. "Woman, what happened here?" the man asked a woman who quickly took a few steps back as she saw the man in front of her. Her eyes lingered on him and his companions and she swallowed with difficulty. "Please do not kill me, youkai-sama." she mumbled as she bowed her head. The man waved with his hands and repeated his question, a bit gentler this time. "It was a miko! The other villagers were about to kill a demon child, and she stopped them...but then they turned on her and then she killed the ones who wanted to harm her and the child." The woman said as she cowered in front of the imposing youkai. The youkai turned his back on her and the rest of the village as he sniffed into the air once more. "What is it Kouga-sama?" one of his companions asked. "Kagome...but there's something off about her." he answered before speeding off in a whirlwind. His two companions looked at each other confused before rushing of behind their leader.

"Miko-sama..?" the boy with black with white hair asked his silent travelling companion. "Yes Hiei-kun?" the woman said as she looked at the young demon child that had accompanied her so far. He hadn't been all too eager to do so, but over time he came to respect her since she treated him as no one had ever treated him before. "There's someone following us..." Hiei said as he stopped and stood in front of the miko that had saved him. She placed a calming hand on his shoulder and said: "I can feel it too...the person has a couple of shikon shards..but I can't seem to sense anything malicious.." Hiei nodded at that, at first he had been wary of the human woman's occasional reassuring touches, but he found himself figuring this was how a protector acted. Even though it was difficult to tell, he did enjoy it that the older female cared for him. The incoming demon was nearing them with increasing speed and the woman pointed to the tree. Hiei nodded and hid higher up where he wouldn´t be seen. The woman grasped the jewel around her neck and played with the sword in her hand nonchalantly as she awaited the demon´s arrival. A whirlwind stopped in front of her and a male youkai appeared, looking at her cautiously. ``Kagome!`` he said and she just glanced at him, looking at him blankly. ``Youkai, state your business.`` she said coldly as her eyes locked with his. He looked at her shocked before asking: "Kagome..? How could you forget me?" The woman twitched almost unnoticeable and demanded: "Kagome, is that my name?" Now Kouga was at a complete loss of words and he could only blink at her stupidly. "Well?" the woman said as she got a bit impatient at the lack of answers that she received from the youkai in front of her. She could sense that he was powerful, yes, and that he thought he knew her but she couldn't recall ever meeting him. Kouga's two companions arrived and they looked at their leader confused. "What is wrong with your woman, Kouga-sama?" Ginta asked curiously as he looked at the woman in front of them. "I don't know, but I'm determined to find out." Kouga said as he pulled the woman in his arms. The woman was so shocked at the behavior that she didn't do anything. As she was pulled against the warm manly body she couldn't help but feel it was wrong. She struggled insistantly as she suddenly yelped: "I don't recognize you, and I insist you unhand me immediately demon!" Kouga quirked an eyebrow and said: "You are my intended mate, and I will do no such thing." The priestess's eyes narrowed and she said: "If you don't put me down right now, so help me Kami, I will purify you." There was a small black blur and before anyone could react there was a little demon with growling at them threateningly. Hiei had sensed the priestess's reluctance of hurting the youkai, but he certainly didn't have any qualms about that. He picked up the sword that the priestess had carried and which now lay on the ground forgotten and glared at the demons in front of them. "Let the miko go." Hiei commanded and out of surprise Kouga let the priestess unattended for a brief second. That was enough for her to scramble away from him and stand beside Hiei, whom she petted on the head. "Why you little...!" Kouga said as he lunged forward to the demon child. The priestess erected a barrier and he hit it head on.

Kouga groaned as he touched the place where the the barrier hit his head. Since when had Kagome been able to make such powerful barriers? Something wasn't right here. He then blinked and opened his eyes. He saw the concerned eyes of his trusty companions and heard a "Keh!". He whirled around to see Inuyasha and the rest of his little group standing there. "Where'd she go?" Kouga asked as he touched his head gingerly. "Sorry Kouga-sama, she dissapeared with the young boy. We couldn't follow her. "You're saying you lost Kagome?" Inuyasha angered voice said as he made himself known. Shippou looked at Kouga with big watery eyes and asked: "My kaasan was here..?" Kouga sighed, this wasn't going to be an easy task to tell them. The Inuyasha tachi had always more or less been a tight-knit group of friends. "She didn't remember me." Kouga said, deciding to start out gently before giving them the big shock. "Keh, serves you right for calling her "my woman" all the time you mangy wolf!" Inuyasha said to Kouga. Kouga had to fight back a growl, and said: "She didn't even remember her name, nor my companions's names, chances are that she forgot about everyone, including you you stupid mutt!" Inuyasha's thriumpathic face fell and Shippou began crying as he realized Kagome probably forgot about him as well. "Kaasan!" he cried out while Sango tried to console him unsuccessfully.

A lot further away two figures made their way to a river bank. "Allright, let's rest a bit, yes?" the priestess said to the child next to her as she sat down at a shadowed area. Hiei nodded and sat down next to the miko, feeling strangely at ease with her. "Miko-sama, do you not have a normal name?" he then suddenly asked the woman next to him as she was making a circlet of flowers. "I don't remember if I have one...that youkai called me Kagome...but that name seems off." the priestess said, her face pensive as she placed the crown of flowers on Hiei's head. Hiei growled and smacked it away from his head with an embarrased flush, making the flower crown fall on the grass between them. He looked the woman threatheningly, his cheeks still tinged pink. The priestess giggled innocently, and her eyes were warm as she looked at the young boy. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. But the look on your face!" she said as her eyes still sparkled mischievously. "Damn miko." Hiei muttered as he glared at the priestess darkly. He had never seen her smile so carefree before, and they had been travelling together for what seems like weeks already. He saw that she looked even prettier when she smiled and realized he didn't even mind that much that she was laughing at his expense.

It wasn't until later that the paths of the priestess and Inuyasha finally crossed. Inuyasha had sniffed the air and had smelled a scent that seemed to have something of both Kagome and Kikyo's scents. "How strange..I smell both Kikyo and Kagome..." he muttered softly, which caught the attention of the inconsolable Shippou. "Kagome...? Is she around here..?" the kitsune's eyes seemed to dart around wildly, trying to spot his foster mother. Inuyasha began running into the direction of the scent and didn't even mind that Shippou had perched himself up on his shoulder, holding on for dear life. "Miko-sama." Another child said a bit further away. The priestess immediately nodded and they stopped, taking a moment to catch their breath if they needed to fight once more. The woman could feel several ki coming closer to her and she didn't want to ruin her chances. She gave the sword to Hiei and stood still, her face in the direction of the incoming persons. She had expected a lot, from having an arrow shot towards her to being slashed at with a sword, but she didn't expect this. An orange furball propelled itself onto her, launching itself in her arms. Surprised she held the little orange kitsune in her arms. "Kaasan!" it cried happily as it snuggled into her breasts. She didn't want to hurt the boy, he obviously saw her as a mother and she didn't even remember his name._ It's Shippou, and you're his foster mother._ The serpents hissed at her and she quickly stroked the little fox demon on the head. "Shippou, it's allright..." she said softly. Shippou looked up at her and soon pointed to her eyes. "Whaaa...what happened to you Kaasan? And why do you smell like the clay miko too?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things. The priestess sighed, and she placed the kitsune kid down. Hiei had been startled at first, but now that he had regained composure he was silently glaring daggers at the smaller demon. "I don't know what to tell you...all I do know is that I woke up, and found myself in a river on the other side, far away from here. I don't know how I got there, or how..." she broke off when she heard other voices. A rough voice said: "Keh, you stupid wench, we have been looking all over the place for you, you still need to get all the shikon shards!" The priestess didn't turn around but both Hiei and Shippou bristled angrily at the other person calling the miko a stupid wench. "Will you please sit Inuyasha? Please?" Shippou asked as his eyes shone with unshed tears. "'Sit..,?" the woman asked confused. The single word was followed by a loud thud and a string of curses coming from nearby. Miroku and Sango both made their way to what they believed to be Kagome, and hugged her. The priestess was so surprised she just let it happen. "Ehm...hi..." she said confused, and she looked surprised when another person, a half-demon got into her sight as well. "Stupid wench, I oughta teach you ..." Inuyasha grumbled as he went towards the miko threatheningly. "Sit." the priestess said quickly, before he could get any closer. And once again the half demon fell onto the ground face-first. Both children laughed at the peculiar site and even the priestess couldn't resist laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

The priestess slowly got fitted in with the rest of the group, and by now most of them had realized that she wasn't the Kagome they knew. Her purple eyes were narrowed in annoyance as she sneered at the half-demon. "I will not listen to anything you try to call me except my new name, Kiyomi. It's not that hard is it? Ki-yo-mi." the woman had decided she needed a new name, since she didn't feel comfortable with being called anything else the others would try to call her. She heard Inuyasha grumble and shook her head, why was he so tick headed? Kiyomi stomped of angered and said that she was going to take a bath with Sango. Hiei was also shaking his head at the older hanyou. "Baka, you don't want to be "sitted" again do you? Miko-sama doesn't want to be called Kagome, or Kikyou or anything else that you want to call her." Hiei said contemptiously. "Hiei-kun, why do you call her Miko-sama?" the smaller demon child asked, not having the nerve to do so before. "Isn't she a miko then? I only adress her with respect." Hiei said as he looked at his miko-sama. He had to admit he was a bit jealous of the younger demon, but he didn't want to make it that obvious. "Oh.." Shippou seemed to be contemplating this in silence before smiling at the older demon child. "I know, I'll ask Kaasan if she'll be your Kaasan too! Then we can be brothers!" Shippou said as he smiled excitedly. Hiei's cheeks became slightly pink as he sternly said: "Baka, you can't just ask someone if they want to be your mother." Now it was Shippou's turn to blush and he stammered: "N-no..? I..thought..I had asked Kagome-chan to be my mother, and she was more then happy to accept." Hiei shook his head and wisely said: "You do realize that you asked her before she came back to you all? What if she doesn't want to be your mother anymore? You said yourself she is different now.." Big green eyes locked with crimson eyes and before he knew it Shippou was crying all over Hiei. It was to this scene that Kiyomi came back and she immediately rushed to both demon children. "What's wrong?" she asked, her usually calm voice tinged with concern. "I-i don't know if y-you still want to be my kaasan.." Shippou said as he now flung himself to Kiyomi. "Of course I'll still be your mother..." she said gently as she embraced the boy who still sniffled a bit. "Hiei-kun said that you can't ask people if they want to be your kaasan." The kitsune said when he pointed towards Hiei. The fire apparition cursed when he felt the priestess's gaze on him. He stiffened and awaited what would happen. "Hiei, how about if someone asks a child if they can be their mother?" Kiyomi asked as she saw Hiei's stiffening posture. Hiei just blinked owlishly, and looked at the priestess mutely. "Yes, that would be okay, right Kaasan? Kaasan, will you ask Hiei-kun, if he wants you to be his kaasan? That way me and Hiei can be brothers!" Shippou was almost bouncing up and down from excitement, and Kiyomi smiled as well. "Hn." Hiei said as he pretended to be really interested in the grass growing around him. "Hiei-kun, what do you think..?" Kiyomi asked gently, not wanting to embarrass the boy. He gave an imperceptive nod as Hiei dared to take the chance, but Kiyomi caught it. She smiled pleased, she had gotten quite fond of him, and she had been treating both him and Shippou like her own sons already.

It was during a normal fight with Sesshoumaru for the Tetsusaiga when the biggest trouble began. Kiyomi, Sango and the two children had been in Kaede's village, where Kiyomi was trying to remember as much as she could. She was carrying around Shippou in her arms, and Hiei walked next to her silently. He still couldn't bring himself to call Kiyomi mother, but he did spend a lot more time with her under the guise of looking after her. Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped fighting as his eyes travelled to the priestess that was always seen travelling with his brother. But she seemed different now, very different. "Inuyasha...the miko. She is not the way she used to be." Sesshoumaru said coldly as he looked at the woman curiously. At this Kiyomi's eyes locked with his golden orbs and she bowed, as was the custom in that time. "Lord Sesshoumaru-sama." Kiyomi mumbled as she bowed towards the tai-youkai respectfully. Sesshoumaru side-stepped his brother's attack and placed up a halting hand, upon which Inuyasha stopped attacking him. Inuyasha looked at his brother gob-smacked, what the hell was going on with the demon lord? Sesshoumaru walked closer to Kiyomi who lowered her eyes, not meeting his. After a scolding look from Kiyomi both Hiei and Shippou also bowed respectfully. "Miko, you seem different now. You still smell like that wench in the strange clothes, and the dead miko...but.." Sesshoumaru said as he began to circle her. "Hm...how odd." Sesshoumaru said as he inhaled her new scent deeply before abruptly stiffening. Emotionlessly he then declared: "This Sesshoumaru finds your new scent quite pleasing, for a human's." At this Hiei's head snapped up and he growled threateningly towards the taiyoukai. That made Sesshoumaru's attention snap to Hiei. "A Forbidden Child? Surely you aren't this foolish priestess.." he said and at this Hiei flinched slightly under his cold and ruthless gaze, his earlier boldness dissapearing. Kiyomi felt him flinching and she straightened, her eyes meeting cold golden eyes dead on. She stepped in front of both Hiei and Shippou, as threatening as any youkai mother would. "A child is a child...or would you dare disagree with me?" she said coldly, and the taiyoukai's eyes widened almost unnoticeably. Gone was the demure priestess that had been bowing to him respectfully. He was now standing face to face with an insulted youkai mother. She seemed to radiate anger and locked eyes with him. "You speak to this Sesshoumaru unabashedly. I think we shall have to settle this so you will learn your place." Sesshoumaru said coldly. Purple eyes met golden ones and Kiyomi whispered: "Perhaps, but perhaps not, Sesshoumaru." He caught it with his keen hearing and he immediately slashed at her with his sword, intent with teaching her her place. Hiei and Shippou both jumped away as they barely dodged the slashing sword. Kiyomi had ducked and jumped away from the children, taking out two daggers with practiced ease. She dodged his attacks continuously, although it wasn't easy for her to do so. Her serpent-ghosts appeared, making everyone present surprised. After a couple of hisses they began snapping at the taiyoukai, managing to graze him with their fangs. Sesshoumaru's eyes began to bleed a blood red color and before she knew it it wasn't merely about setting her in her place. He wanted to utterly destroy her. While she did not want to kill him by purifying him in risk of accidentally purifying Shippou, Hiei and Inuyasha, she did have to do something. She made a strange hand gesture and the fog that had been hanging around the Inu-tachi group began to thicken. Suddenly the ground around them began to shake and rumble. Her hands glowed a purple color and she could hear gasps all around her. "Undead.." she heard Sango's scared voice. "Do no worry, I'll protect you lady Sango!" Miroku said as he valiantly stood before the demon slayer with his staff. Two undead skeletons made rattling noises as they moved, but they paid the no -one heed. They seemed focused on Kiyomi and Sesshoumaru. "Lady Kiyomi!" Miroku said as he tried to get the priestess away from the undead that suddenly appeared. "Kaasan!" both Hiei and Shippou yelled, afraid for her life. That was the first time that Hiei had referred to her like that, and Kiyomi's eyes opened at their distressed cries. The undead were advancing to the group that had suddenly fallen silent, not knowing what to make of it. It seemed that even though the undead looked quite scary they weren't attacking anyone. In the meantime Sesshoumaru seemed to have noticed the undead through his rage and he turned his attention to them, seeming to realize that Kiyomi had summoned them. With Sesshoumaru's attention on the undead, Kiyomi quickly formed another barrier, this one around Sesshoumaru and the fighting skeletons. "Yes, got you!" Kiyomi said as she smiled, her face as sunny and carefree as Kagome's used to. This had Inuyasha doing a faceplant as he realized what had happened, and that his big brother was caged. "That was your big plan? Cage him?" he screamed at Kiyomi as his face turned red. Sesshoumaru was trying to get out and free and exact revenge on Kiyomi, but found out that wasn't quite that easy. He hacked and slashed at the barrier with his weapons and then finally with his poison claws. Kiyomi walked closer to the caged Sesshoumaru and softly said, knowing he would be able to hear her voice: "I'm sorry about this, but I really care about those two, and I see them as my sons. If I really wanted you dead, I could've done way worse." With this said, Kiyomi walked away, leaving the group standing flabbergasted. It wasn't until she was out of sight of the caged dog demon that she gasped loudly and fainted, hitting the ground with a dull sound.


	3. Chapter 3

When she awoke she found herself lying on top of a couple of furs, in what seemed to be cave. "Argh..." she groaned as she brought her hand to her head, trying to still the headache. "Ah, I see you're awake. I found you in the clearing near my territory." she heard a manly voice say. Kiyomi opened her eyes and she blinked owlishly, before seeing Kouga's face right in front of her, almost in kissing distance. She held in her breath shocked, and almost breathed out in relief when Kouga just grinned at her and moved away. It was then that she noticed he wasn't entirely covered up, and was bare chested. He actually looked really good, Kiyomi mused. "You were out for 2 days Kagome." Kouga asked as he looked at his woman, trying to ignore the way Kiyomi's chest heaved as she breathed in. "I think I'm just going to walk around with a card with my name on it." Kiyomi muttered softly, before meeting the wolf-demon's gaze and saying: "My name is Kiyomi, because I just don't feel like I'm this Kagome everyone keeps talking about. It feels like an entirely different life." Kouga just smirked at her arrogantly and said: "Allright then Kiyomi, no matter what you call yourself, you'll always be my woman." He smirked in a way to let her know that he was just humoring her, and didn't really believe her. Kiyomi narrowed her eyes, never mind him being good looking, no one got away with calling her like that without her permission. "Well, Kouga, do you think I could go outside for a while? I feel like I need some fresh air after that." Kiyomi said as she tried to get her hair to fall like it used to before. Kouga nodded and he helped her up and then took her outside of the den. There were a few other wolf demons staring at the both of them unashamedly. Kiyomi felt her cheeks flush as she imagined what they could be thinking, with her hair a mess and the wolf demon without his full armor on. "I'll get my armor." Kouga said as he sheepishly looked down and noticed why the other wolf demons were staring at him. When he left, Kiyomi slowly started to inch away from the wolf demons. Most of them returned their attention to their previous activities, and she breathed out in relief when she managed to get into the forest, out of sight. She quickly began running after realizing that Shippou and Hiei might be worried about her.

Kiyomi sighed deeply as she finally sat down, exhausted. She reluctantly admitted to herself that she was very lost, and couldn't find her way back to Inuyasha and the others. "So, the rumors are true….you are not the miko that was here before." Kiyomi suddenly heard a male voice say, and she mentally moaned; would she not be getting any rest then? She lifted her face up so she could see the person properly and stared at a dark-haired handsome man wearing a baboon pelt. She looked at the man warily, he hadn't attacked her yet, and he didn't exactly come across as a friend of her either. "I must say, I do believe I liked your appearance better before..kukuku…" The man continued saying. Kiyomi stared at the man and he dramatically sighed: "I'm Naraku. And you will die." At this Kiyomi began inching away, trying to gather strength for an eventual fight. Before she could get too far she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. There was some strange limb of Naraku's piercing through her body, and she gasped as she saw the blood seep out of the wound. She was immobilized and Naraku took that as an opportunity to graze her cheek with one of his limbs, giving her a minor cut. Naraku then came closer and she felt him lick her cheek before he pierced her arms and legs with his limbs. "Delicious…I'll finally be done with you miko. It's such a rare chance to see you without your little friends. But don't worry, I'll give them what they deserve...and now, the Shikon jewel.." Naraku said before he began laughing manically, and Kiyomi closed her eyes.

"Where is the jewel? Where is it?" Naraku's voice got through into Kiyomi's muddled mind. Her vision was bleary and she noticed him undressing her, trying to find the jewel. At the same time she was wondering what happened to the jewel herself. She knew it used to be inside of her body, but she herself still felt it inside of her. Apparently Naraku got impatient and she winced and closed her eyes. She felt the dull pain as he pierced her body again and again with his limbs, trying to find it. "Argh! It's not here!" Naraku said, his voice sounding frustrated. "What did you do to it, what?" he asked as he lifted up Kiyomi's face, her face ashen from her several injuries. He felt for her pulse, and then shrugged carelessly before he said: "Oh well, at least you won't be making it, little miko."

Kiyomi managed to open her eyes to greet the blazing sunlight. Her entire body throbbed and she still felt blood trailing on her body. She couldn't have been lying there for more than a few hours, or she would've already bled to death Kiyomi thought. She cautiously tried to sit up and noticed that her body was glowing around the several deep wounds that she had acquired thanks to Naraku. She gasped softly as she noticed that her skin seemed to be knitting itself back together very slowly. She then heard rustling noises and noticed her serpents, flying back and forth with little orbs. They dropped the orbs on her, and every time her body seemed to be regaining color, and seemed to be healing quicker. –_This is the last orb, mistress…we couldn't find any more energy around here_ – one of the serpents said to her in her head. – _perhaps mistress should try moving now, and get to a human village for more_ – another one added unconcernedly. Kiyomi nodded and she determinedly struggled to get up and tried to cover herself up the best she could with the scraps of clothing that were left of her miko garb.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" a young girl's voice said as she spotted a trail of blood close to where they were walking. At his ward's voice Sesshoumaru got out of his thoughts and turned his attention to her. After seeing her pointing he obligingly looked, figuring the human girl would show him a flower that she had never seen before but wanted to know the name of. Then he saw it, the entire trail of blood, still fairly fresh from the scent of it. He wondered why he had not noticed the scent earlier since he could usually smell everything in his surroundings with his keen sense of smell. Ah, that's right…he had been thinking about that human priestess that had caged him. He felt the by now familiar feeling of shame come back as he remembered how easily she had caged him once he had lost control of himself to his beast. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin''s voice got him out of his thoughts again and he nodded towards his ward briefly. He sniffed the air discretely and frowned when he smelled the miko's new scent, tainted with blood and Naraku's scent. Sessoumaru, Rin and Jaken followed the trail, which seemed to stop abruptly as they noticed the still figure of the miko lying on the forest grounds. "Lady Kagome! Is she dead?"Rin asked shocked as she rushed towards the miko's body. Rin was trying to pull on the woman's body, trying to get her up but the woman wouldn't budge. Rin began to cry softly and Sesshoumaru immediately vowed to resurrect the priestess, even if it was just done so he could kill her himself later on. Jaken cautiously poked the body with his staff, and jumped away when the miko's hand batted at him with a purple glow. "A-ah, she's not dead." Jaken said nervously, having decided that a miko's glowing hands weren't a good thing. "Can we take her with us, Sesshoumaru-sama? Please? We can't leave her out here!" Rin said with a hopeful glance towards him. With a curt nod Sesshoumaru walked back to where they came from with the priestess on one of his travelling clouds. Rin giggled as she followed her lord back to their home and Jaken ran to catch up with them while he thought how much Rin had changed his lord.

"Priestess, make yourself at home. The servants will do anything you want for you. As soon as you are better you will leave." Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly as he walked into the room he had placed the priestess in. "I will have a demon medic look over your wounds, but that will probably not be very helpful since you're human." Sesshoumaru said and he was about to leave when he heard a muffled voice ask: "Why are you being so nice to me?" Sesshoumaru turned around to look at the woman and was shocked as he properly saw her for the first time. She was lying propped up on a bed, not having been able to move on her own because of her wounds and exhaustion. The servants threw her on a simple linen kimono instead of the shredded clothes she had been wearing. She looked very fragile and small as she was lying there, and Sesshoumaru wondered how she could have bested him. He knew that he could've won if he hadn't lost his cool, but what happened was just too humiliating to him. "This Sesshoumaru does this because Rin is apparently quite fond of you. She would be sad if I didn't."

"Kiyomi, now that you're walking all better again, why don't you come eat dinner with Rin?" Rin asked as she bounced around Kiyomi as they made their way to the garden. Kiyomi glanced at the ray of sunshine that was Rin and smiled softly: "That would be nice, but I couldn't intrude on Sesshoumaru-sama like that." Rin just shook her head and said: "It will be just Rin and Jaken, Sesshoumaru-sama usually stays in his study." Of course, that wasn't what happened. When Kiyomi sat at the dinner table she sat across of an emotionless Sesshoumaru. As expected dinner was a tense affair.


End file.
